Savoring every bite of this busy life….

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A few weeks ago, I gave my niece this piece of advice. Sometimes it’s hard to push yourself to stick to plans or to honor a commitment (whether to others or just yourself), but it feels good to know you are someone that follows through and you might even be happily surprised by the outcome of your steadfastness. Okay, so I didn’t use the word steadfastness. She’s only 7.

Just days later, I was in a similar scenario. Last Friday night I made plans with a girlfriend to attend the kick-off event for a new group in New Haven – the HVN Lady Project. At the last minute, she needed to back out. So there I was, on a Friday evening tired from a particularly grueling week at work, with two choices. Hop in my car in search of my comfy clothes, a glass of red wine and snuggles from Bean. Or stick to my plan. Be there for the first ever event. Possibly meet some awesome women doing amazing things (after all, that’s their tagline).

I chose to follow my own advice and I’m so glad I did. I gave up just 2 hours of family time and in exchange, I gained a few new professional contacts, was encouraged by a veteran mom and inspired by the ardent women in my community (oh and I had that glass of red wine!). Here’s how it works. The Lady Project invites 3 women to share their stories with the group in 3 minutes. Their parting words are something for you to take with you. I especially appreciated Hannah Brencher’s advice to have the courage to reach out to those you admire. Fueled by her encouragement, I put myself out there and introduced myself to a woman I recognized and told her how much I admired her incredible work. It felt good to share that admiration and from her reaction, I bet she felt like a rock star. Why is it so intimidating to go up to someone and tell them that they kick ass? That’s so bizarre. But it’s real. Isn’t it?

Many thanks to the ladies that brought the Lady Project to my city. I hope my local gal pals will join me for a future event. Promise, you won’t regret it!